Modern stage lighting systems include extremely sophisticated control structures. The lighting is controlled by a sophisticated console. Many different lighting effects and operations can be controlled by that console. The console usually controls a number of lighting units. Each lighting unit communicates with the console over a channel, typically via a wire connection.
Many different companies make electronically-controlled lighting equipment ("luminaires") that are controllable from such a console. Each of these different luminaires has some differences in its operation and control.
One trend in the art has been to run a common wire to a group of lighting units. This common wire has information that communicates with all of the units, using some form of multiplexed communication. For example, one commonly-used form of communication is the USITT DMX 512 communication protocol. This protocol allows a number of lamps to communicate over a single line. DMX time division multiplexes the information to form a stream of information that has different parameter commands at different times. Each parameter command is meant for controlling a different lamp. The lamp responds only to time slots representing information for that particular lamp. That information is located in its assigned time slot.
An alternative but somewhat related multiplexing technique assigns an address to each lamp. The "series 200" format from VARI-LITE, INC..TM. uses this technique.
A description of an addressed format can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,806, the description of which is incorporated by reference. Each lamp in an addressed system responds only to information which is addressed to the lamp.
These systems have required complex and non-standard electronics. Moreover, the cable connecting the console to the lamps needs to have a large bandwidth and hence needs to be properly selected to maintain that large bandwidth.
Another issue of concern is the patent position. At least one entity has purported to have patented one or many techniques which are similar to the DMX-512 standard.
For all of the above reasons, an alternative to the DMX-512 standard is desirable.
One previous solution proposed by LIGHT & SOUND DESIGN.TM., the assignee of the present application, was to take a step backwards in the art by attaching a single wire from the controlling console to control each lamp separately. This required, however, an incredible amount of wiring in the console and hence many connectors on the console. Moreover, this would have required increasing the physical size of the console in order to accommodate the huge number of connectors.
The wiring problem can be further complicated since different manufacturer's lights have different advantages and uses. A lighting designer often specifies many different manufacturer's lamps within the show. This has required some way of controlling those multiple lamps, especially when those lamps communicate in different communications formats.
Control of the many proprietary formats has necessitated even more connections and connectors. This has the further possible drawback of requiring customized devices which may add to the cost.
In view of the above recognitions, the present disclosure forms an alternative system which avoids many of the above-discussed drawbacks of DMX and other similar systems, but which allows a relatively simple system. This system also allows provision for a remotely situated connector carrier. That connector carrier is easily reconfigured to accommodate many different formats of signals.
This is carried out according to the present system by using a console communication over a standard format line to an interface unit. That interface unit includes outputs for multiple connection formats. Multi-parameter lamps are controlled by using a separate dedicated channel for each lamp. However, this system as described herein also includes provision for allowing use of other data formats and other off the shelf equipment.
Yet another aspect of the present invention concerns the cost to develop and implement such structure. Design of totally new structures, of course, could prove extremely expensive.
Accordingly, another aspect of the invention is to use a available hardware structure, which can be programmed and reconfigured in multiple ways to allow inexpensive yet high flexible and reliable systems.